Feeding mechanism for slicing machines



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J FQLQK FEEINC-L- MEGHANISM FOR SLGING MACHINES.

Filed April 2, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheml MQW JWM@ 2H, 13,93@ y FGLK FEEDING MECHANXSM Fm .'fLcING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Shea?. J5

Filed Apri 19M m mi MN5 ENVENTORI JOSEPH FOLK ATT'YS.'

mams@ J, FOLK .MECHANISM FOR SLICING MACHINES FEEDIN Filed April 2, 1934i l 5 Shets-Sheek 5 N'k/ENTOR:

Jun@ L 5?@ n Dm Patented June 2l, 1938 salclNG Joseph Folk, La. Porte, Ind., assignor to U. S. Sli'cing Machine Company, La Porte, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application April 2, 1934, serial No. 713,582

f 1ofclaims.

@This invention relates to slicingtmachines, "and particularly to feeding mechanism for slicing machinesi More specifically, the invention relates tovthat.` type `.of feeding mechanism used on slicing machines .which `have a reciprocal carriage anda substance orfood pusher which operates atirightangles to the movement of the carriage and pushes thesubstance against a gauge plate. The primary object of the present invention is' to provide'fnewand improved means `for mov ing the" pusher plate only when`-the substance `ori-,the food carriage is directly opposite the gauge plate.- f "1. v "*Another object ofthe invention is to provide slicing machine feeding mechanism which comprises normally inactive means which are ren-` "dered active `whenthe carriage is moved to a e en predetermined position relative to the position of the slicing machine, whereby the said means will become' operative and movethe substance against the `gauge plateyand then remain inac- Ativecr inoperative until the carriage again attains a predetermined position. y A further object is to provide feeding mecha- 'nism which feeds ,the substance a predetermined "distanoe, and then remains inactive or inoperative to prevent 4further `movement of the substrane toward the cutting plane of the knife "during reciprbcation o-f the substance across the knife,` and `*thereby prevent smearing of the knife by the substance and overcome undue fricnon.

,Numerous other objects and advantages will beapparent throughout the progress of the following specification.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention, and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail plan View .of an'improved slicing machine, and embodying `thei11vnllon.

Fig. 2 ,is aydetail elevation of the slicingma- .chineshown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction Fig. `5 `is ya similarview-,showin-g some of the mechanism controlled 4by a cam positioned at'the end of-.themachine toward the operator.

,.lFig. 6 is a detail plan `section .showing the po- 4 sitian of. the operating @rod which `causes movement of the pusher plate.

(Ci. 14s- 10m Fig. '7 is a detail sectional `View on the lines 1...-I of Figs. 4 and 5. i

The particular slicing machine herein shown comprises a base I, over which the undertable 2 and carriage 3 is adapted to be reciprocated.-5 "'I'he carriage 3 is mounted in suitable guide means 4, 4 rigidly supported by the base I. A knife 5 carried by a knife support bracket 6 is rotated by means of a motor 7. A gauge plate 8 is `mounted to the left o f the food or substance 10 supporting surface 9, and is movable laterally sothat its substance supporting face IB will lie in a plane parallel to the plane of the cutting knife 5. The gauge plate 8 is movable by means of the 415 lknob II to properly position the gauge plate into proper relationship to the cutting blade of the knife. The gauge plate and the manner in which it is operated or controlled is well known in .this art, and further description thereof will 1,20 not be made. Thecarriage 3 including itsffood table 9 i manually reciprocated forwardly and rearward- `ly by means of a handle I2. A slice receiving plate or tray I3 is positioned to the lefthand side ,25 of the machine to receive the slices which are cut from the vsubstance by the knife 5. A transverse rod i4, Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is rigidly supported tothe undertable 2, `and has a slide bearing I5 slidably` mounted thereon. A pusher plate Iliwao has an operating arm Il which is fastened by screws I8 to a ange on the slide bearing I5. A roller or slide IS, Fig. `3, is fastened to the pusher plate, and thisy roller andthe slide rod I4 constitute a guiding means for the pusher plate in35 `its movement at right angles to the movement of the carriage andtoward the cutting edge of the knife. A friction plug 20, Fig. 4, is arranged in a boss (2| formedk on the slide bearing, and this plug is adapted tc ride along the surface of them) rod I4, there `being a Vconripression spring 22 mountedbehind the friction plug to create a certain amount of friction or sluggishness in the movement of the slide bearing I5 or pusher plate I6 to prevent movement of the pusher by jar45 or by the pulling of the knife on the substance or by other accidental forces. A projection 23 is formed `on thevundert'able 2, upon which there is pivoted a plate 24 by means'of a pivot 25, Figs. 3 ande. A spring-26 is fastened to a pin 21 on .150 the p1ate124, and to a pin 28 formed on the `un- `dertable 2 and Anormally tends to `urge the plate 24 to thefright, Figs. 4 and 5. A roller 29 is fastened by a pin 30 to -the extreme endv of the plate 24. This pin 30 is formed with an enlarged 155 FEEDING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES shoulder 3l which loosely ts in an oblong slot 32 in the undertable2.

A cam 33 having a cam surface 34 is mounted by screws 35 to the upper surface of the frame I of the slicing machine. When theundertable 2 is moved from the end of the cutting stroke toward the operator and the roller 29 approaches the cam 33 and engages the cam vsurface 34, the plate 24 will be moved to the left, against the tension of the spring 26, from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. At the beginning of the cutting stroke, that is, the for- Aat 41, and its other Vend to the pin 40. spring 46 is adaptedto pull the slide rod 36 to ward movement of the carriage, the roller 29 will disengage the cam 33, and the plate 24 will be returned to its normal original position (Fig. 4) by the tension spring 26.

A slide rod 35 having ratchet teeth 31 is mounted in bosses`38 and 39-xed to the undertable 2. These bosses provide bearings for the slide rod. This rod 36 has a pin 40 fixed thereto which is guided in a slot 4I formed in the boss or bearing 39. The slide rod 36 is adapted to have limited slidable movement in the bosses or bearings 38 and 39, but is prevented from rotating due to the pin and slot connection 4l) and 4 I respectively.

A roller 42 is fastened to the slide rod 36 by a pin 43,l and a block 44 is fastened by suitable pins 45 to the plate 24. A tension spring 46 has one end fixed to the plate 24 asr indicated The the left, Figs. 4 and 5, and the plate 24 to the right to make contact between the vroller 42 and the block 4.4. W'hen the roller 29 on the plate 24 contacts with the cam surface 34 of cam 33,v

the plate 24 is pivoted on its pivot screw 25 and causes the slide rod 36 to move simultaneously with the plate 2,4 and in the same direction.

The slide bearing I5 is formed with an arm 48 into which thereis threaded a hollow ystud 49 backed by a nut 59, Fig. '7. One end of the stud 49 is provided with a slot 5| and yguides a'pin 52 Whichguides a plug 53 having a tooth 54, Fig. 7. The tooth 54 is adapted to engage the teeth 31 on the slide rod 36, therebeing a spring 55 arranged in the recess 56 in the stud 49. This spring 55 is adapted to urge the plug 53 toward `the sliderod 36 so as to keep the tooth 54 in engagement with one 'of the ratchetf'te'eth 31 on the slide rod 36. A handle 51 is integrally formed with the plug 53, and is adapted to extend forwardly a predetermined distance out of the hollow threaded stud 49. This handle 51 permits the tooth 54 to be retracted from the slide rod 36 so that ythe slide bearing I5 may be slid along the slide rod I4, to the right, Figs. 4 and 5. As the pusher plate I6 is directly connected to the slide bearing I5 by means of the arm I1, the pusher plate I6 will be moved along with the slide bearing I5., Therefore, when the handle 51 is pulled outwardly to disengage the tooth 54 from the teeth 36, and the'handle 51-shifted to the right, Figs. 4 and 5, the pusher plate I6 will also move to the right.

The gauge plate 8 gauges the thickness of the slices to be cut from the substance, and the pusher plate I6 fastened to the slide bearing I5 pushes the substance against the gauge plate. When the roller 29 on the plate 24 engages the cam surface 34, the tension of the spring 46 will pull the slide rod 36 to the left from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5. Since the teeth 31 are cut along one sider ofthe rod 36, they are always in contact with the tooth 54, which is fastened to the plug 53 on the slide bearing I5. Therefore, slidable movement of the slide rod 36 to the left, Figs; 4 and 5, will cause slidable movement of the slide bearing I5 in the same direction. The slidable movement of the slide rod 36 is stopped when the substance moved by the pusher plate I6 engages the gauge plate When the roller 29 engages the cam face 34 due to the movement of the carriage 3 upon its guidathe roller 29 will force the plate 24 to continue to move to the left, Fig. 4, to the position shown in Fig. 5. The movement of the plate 24 to the left is against the tension of the springs 26 and 46. The movement of the plate 24 to the left causes the block 44 to be moved away from the contacting roller 42 and the pusher plate will be movedthrough the sliding movement of the rod 36 until the substance on the substance table 9 engages the gauge plate 8. The movement of the pusher plate is caused by the tension of the spring 46 which moves the slide rod 36 lvvhen'the plate 24 is shifted by reason of the roller 29 engaging the cam surface'34. When the substance table 9 is moved forwardly, that is, away from the operator, the roller 29 on the plate 24 will move out of contact with the cam surface 34, and the plate 24 will be returned to its normal position by the spring 26 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4. This return movement of the plate 24 will move the block 44 into contact with the roller 42 and the slidey rod 36 will be again shifted to its normal initial position. However, the return movement of the slide rod 36 will not affect the position of the slide bearing I5 because the tooth 54 will merely slide over the teeth 31 on the slide rod 36. Therefore, when the carriage is moved to a predetermined position, the plate 24 will be shifted because of the engagement of the roller 29 with the cam surface 34. The shifting of the plate 24 on its pivot 25 will cause the spring 46 to shift the slide rod 36 a prede'l termined distance to the left. The shifting of the slide rod 36 to the left Will cause the slide bearing I5 to also shift because of the engagement of the tooth 54 with one of the teeth 31 on the slide rod. The shifting of the slide rod 36 is governed by the thickness of a slice, that is, the slide rod 36 will shift a predetermined distance to the left until the substance on the substance table being pushed by the pusher I6, engages the gauge plate 8. When the carriage 3 is moved forwardly and the roller 29 is off of the cam surface 34, the spring 26 will return the plate 24 to its normal position, and the block 44 will be moved into engagement with the roller 42 and return the rod 36 to its initial position. However, the return movement of the rod 36 will not affect the slide bearing I5 nor will it move this slide bearing I5, because the teeth 31 on the slide rod I6 will slide over the tooth 54.

The parts are so constructed so that the cam 34 will cause the roller 29 to move a distance greater than the greatest thickness of a slice.

Therefore, there will always be some idle movement in the plate 24, which movement is measured by the gap between the block 44 and the roller 42. Therefore, if the maximum movement of the roller 29 is for instance l inch, and the maximum thickness of a slice to be cut is 3A inch, the gap between the block 44 and the roller 42 will be 1A; inch. If, however, only a 1A, inch slice is to be cut, and the maximum movement of the roller 29 remains the same (1 inch), the gap between the block 44 and the roller 42 will ber 3A inch.

.a1-anoto -3I,on the pin .36 could stop against the outer end ofthe slot 32, or the pin 49 could bestopped bythe end `of the slot 4I, or the end ofthe `slide rod 36 could be stopped against the'bottomof bearing or boss 39.

It is preferable to allow foranlittle clearance -betweenthe shoulder 3|.of pin 30 and the ,slot

.3.2, ylas well as a little clearance between thepin .MlY and the end ofthe slot 4| so that the endof the sliderod 36 may be adjusted relative tothe bottom of the boss or bearing 39,` and therefore, .throughthis adjustment cause theroller to a1- ways bein proper adjusted position .relative Vto the cam surface 34.

uThe boss 39'may be` made. slidable in `respect to' `the'undertable 2 as vshown in Fig. 6. In this gure,:tlie` boss 39 is slidably inserted in the web of .i theundertable asiindicated atx59, Fig. 6. A

liberplug llimay be inserted in .the endof the .boss to provide an .abutment `against whichrthe end 6I of theslide. rod 36fmayengage. The fiber plug-66 may'rbe secured to the boss 39 byxmeans of a pin 62. .A set screw 63 is threaded into the Iundertableand,engagesthe boss @39 to hold the boss in. its proper adjusted position.

:The front of I the carriage, Fig. 2, is provided fwithwa slot..64'to permit the handle 51fto be op- ;eratedto .manually-shift the `slide bearing l5.

The invention provides a simple efiiciently operated means for preventing the movement-'of -thewsubstance during reciprocaton of the carriage,and thereby reduces the amountof smear which would otherwise be causedl bythe substance beingcontinually urged toward the knife. The .spring pressure which advances the substance against thefgauge plate is only active while the substanceis opposite'to gauge plate, andthen onlyiwhile thesubstace is to move a short distance over the gauge plate. A great amount of `smear caused by the substance under vpressure rubbing over the gauge plate and knife is prevented. `The construction herein disclosedprevents continual urging of the substance toward the cutting plane` of `the knife'or againstthe knife, and therefore, no brake means are required to .overcome `or 4.prevent the urging yaction `ofthe .'springduringnormal reciprocation of the carriage. lThe present invention provides means which are normally inactive, andare `rendered active :only at a predetermined period covering aiveryshort'space of time. -In other'words, the spring pressure has no effect on the pusher duringnormal'operation. However, when the. roller `2lfstrikes` the cam surface 34, theslide rodfposi tively moves vthe slide bearing l5 and consequently the pusher plate I6. Therefore, there is no'constanturging action 'tending to urge the I'substance'toward the `cutting plane of thefknife, except that the very commencementof the cutting stroke when the substance is pushed against thegau'ge-plate by the positive movement of the rod, the spring 46 causes the movement of the rod 36 only when the plate 24 is swung on its pivot, the plate 24 being swung on its pivot only by the positive action of the roller and the cam surface 34. As soon as the roller 29 leaves the cam surface 34, the springs 26 and 46 return `the plate 24 to its initial position. The invention, therefore, comprisesI means which are normally inoperative, but which are rendered operative only at a. predetermined interval, and for a very. short period. A period, howevenzisfsuf- 'cient to cause thesubstance to come intocontact with the gauge plate. Y

.Changesemay bemade in the form, construction-and arrangement of the parts without .departing from the invention or sacrificing any of itsadvantages, and the right is. herebyreserved to make all such changes'which fall withinthe scope of the following claims.

`The invention is hereby claimed as; follows:

1. In aslicing machine having a basefa. carriagehaving a substance supporting surface and .adapted kto be reciprocated across 'said base,.a rotaryfknife supported in juxtaposition in relation to the movement of the carriage to cut slices4 from :thesubstance during reciprocation ofthe carriage, a igauge plate having a face paralleltto thecutting-plane of the knife, a pusher platefor shiftingv thef substance along said vsurface toward the gauge plate, a slide bearing formoving said .pusherplata `a rod adapted to shift the Nslide bearing, a spring connected to the rod to'shift the rod when tensionis lapplied to thespring, 'a pivoted plate to which the springis connected, a

camzmounted on'the base and shifting said plate plate. l0

2. In a slicing machine having a base, a car;- riagev having a substance supporting vsurface *and 'adapted' toI be reciprocated across said base, -a rotary knife 'supported in juxtaposition in relationtc the movement of the carriage to cut slices from the substance during reciprocation ofthe carriage, a gauge plate having Va face parallel-to the cutting plane of the knife, a pusher platefor shifting the substance along. said surface toward the gauge plate, a slide bearing for moving said pusher plate, .a rod adapted to shift the slide bearing, .a spring connected to the rod to shift the rod when tension is applied to the spring,` `a pivoted plate to which'the spring is` connected, a cam mounted on` the base and Vshifting saidplate during reciprocation of the carriage, the shifting of said plate putting a tension on the spring, the tension on the spring shifting :the rod, moving the slide bearing and consequently thepusher plate, and means for manually `disen'gaging the riage having a substance supporting surface and 1 adapted to be reciprocated across said base,a rotary knife supported in juxtaposition in relation tothe movement of the carriage torcut slices from the `substance during reciprocation ofcthe carriage,y a gauge plate having a face parallel to the vcutting plane of the knife, a'pusher` plate for shifting the substance along said surface 'toward thew'gaugefplata a slide bearing 'for moving said pusher plate, a rod adapted to shift the Aslide bearingfa -spring connected to `the rod A11o-shift the rod when tension is applied toy the spring, a pivoted plate to which the spring isy connected, a cam mounted on the base and shifting said plate during reciprocation of the carriage, the shifting of said plate putting a tension on the spring, the tension on the spring shifting the rod, moving the slide bearing and consequently the pusher plate, a retractable member carried by the slide bearing for normally locking the slide bearing to the rod to prevent movement of the slide bearing on the vsis rod in one direction but permitting movement in the opposite direction, said retractable member adapted to be manually operated to dis'engage the same from the rod whereby the slide bearing may be manually moved in said opposite direction and away from the gauge plate.

4. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a slicing knife, a substance feeder, said substance feeder and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the substance feeder alternately into alignment with the gauge member and with the slicing knife, said substance feeder being movable forward toward the gauge member and slicing knife through a given range of feeding travel, means for yieldingly urging the feeder forward, said means being inactive and without effective energy with respect to the feeder when the feeder is aligned with the slicing knife, and means operatively controlled by the relative transverse movement of the substance feeder and the knife for supplying effective energy to the urging means to operate the feeder when the feeder is aligned with the gauge member.

5. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a slicing knife, a substance feeder, said substance feeder and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the substance feeder alternately into alignment with the gauge member and with the slicing knife, means yieldingly urging the substance feeder forward toward the gauge member when the feeder is in alignment with the gauge member, means for balancing the force exerted by said urging means on the feeder, and means operated by the urging means for operating said last mentioned means When the feeder is aligned with the slicing knife.

'6. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a slicing knife, a substance feeder, said substance feeder and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the substance feeder alternately into alignment with the gauge member and with the slicing knife, energy receiving means for yieldingly urging the substance feeder longitudinally forward toward the gauge member when the feeder is in alignment with the gauge member, and means operatively controlled by the relative transverse movement of the substance feeder and the knife and operable when the feeder is aligned with the gauge member to increase the energy of said urging means, said last means being operatively connected to the urging means to decrease the energy of said urging means when the feeder is aligned with the slicing knife.

7. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a knife member, a substance feeder, said substance feeder and said knife member being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the substance feeder alternately into alignment with the gauge member and with the knife member, said substance feeder being movable forward toward the gauge member and knife member through a given range of feeding travel, means for yieldingly urging the feeder forward, and means operatively controlled by the relative transverse movement of the substance feeder and the knife for disconnecting a portion of said urging means from the feeder when the feeder is aligned with one of said members and for reconnecting said portion to the feeder when the feeder is aligned with the other of Said members.

8. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a slicing knife, a substance feeder, said substance feeder and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the substance feeder alternately into engagement with the gauge member and the slicing knife, said substance feeder being movable forward toward the gauge member and slicing knife through a given range of feed travel, resilient means for yieldingly urging the feeder forward, said means being without a sufficient supply of energy with respect to the feeder when the feeder is aligned with the slicing knife, and means operatively controlled by the relative transverse movement of the substance feeder and the knife for supplying an additional increment of energy to said resilient means to operate the feeder when the feeder is aligned with the gauge member.

9. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a slicing knife, a substance feeder, said substance feeder and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the substance feeder alternaitely into engagement with the gauge member and the slicing knife, said substance feeder being movable forward toward the gauge member and slicing knife through a given range of feed travel, resilient means for yieldingly urging the feeder forward, said means being without a sufficient supply of energy With respect to the feeder when the feeder is aligned with the slicing knife, means operatively controlled by the relative transverse movement of the substance feeder and the knife for supplying an additional increment of energy to said resilient means to operate the feeder when the feeder is aligned with the gauge member, and means for limiting the increment of energy added during each slicing operation.

l0. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a rotary slicing knife, a substance supporting carriage reciprocable transversely of the knife and alternately into alignment with the gauge member and the slicing knife, a substance pusher carried by the carriage and movable toward and from the knife, means for yieldingly urging the substance pusher toward the knife, said means being inactive and without effective energy with respect to the substance pusher when the pusher is aligned with the slicing knife, and means operatively controlled by the transverse movement of the carriage for supplying effective energy to the urging means to operate the substance pusher when the pusher is aligned with the gauge member.

JOSEPH FOLK. 

